The Egypt Game

The Egypt Game
Zilpha Keatly Snyder
***** 5 Stars

The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she's not sure they have anything in common. But she soon discovers that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard behind A-Z Antiques and Curio Shop, Melanie and April decide it's the perfect spot for the Egypt Game.
Before long, there are six Egyptians instead of two. After school and on weekends they all meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code.
Everyone thinks it's just a game, until strange things begin happening to the players. And they began to think the Egypt Game has gone too far.

This book is a mix of mystery, imaginary fantasy, and history. Usually, those topics don't go well together in a story, but this author made them work like it was the easiest pair to combine! This book was both educational and fun, and made me want to start my own game out in the yard, but no, that wears off after awhile when we learned about Egypt in school. Then since i learned about it every day, my brain couldn't cope anymore when I got home.
My favorite character was April Hall, she was such an interesting person in both style and character. She never cared what other people thought of her. I also loved this book because it took place in
San Francisco, CA, that is where I was born! So if you are up for some fake eyelashes, box monsters, and a bowling pin crowns, then read The Egypt Game.

If you would like to buy this book go to  The Egypt Game.com 

                                                        -Olivia

Down The Rabbit Hole

Down The Rabbit Hole
Peter Abrahams
**** 4 Star

Ingrid is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or at least her shoes are. And getting them back will mean getting tangled up in a murder investigation as complicated as the mysteries solved by her idol, Sherlock Holmes. With soccer practice, schoolwork, and the lead role in her town's production of Alice In Wonderland, Ingrid is swamped. But as things in Echo Falls keep getting curiouser and curiouser, Ingrid realizes she must solve the murder on her own-before it's too late.

This book was really good, with quirky romance, the idolizing of an old detective, and a twist on Alice In Wonderland. But in the book, when Ingrid finally finds out the truth about the murder, the ending is a little muddled. You know who the criminal is, but you don't know exactly how the whole crime came to be, what the murderer exactly did. Which is a big part in most mysteries, also about half way through the book, you already knew who the murderer was, it wasn't a shock. Sometimes, the characters would go on, and on, until the dialogue of each character, was more of a monologue. Other than that, the story had a great mystery and the author made you hate the bad characters, and love the good guys. So if your looking for a good mystery, I recommend this one.

If you would like to order this book go to Down The Rabbit Hole.com

                                                            -Olivia

The Night Children

The Night Children
Kit Reed
***** 5 Star

Inside the Castertown MegaMall, the biggest mall in the world, live the night children-runaways, abandoned kids, kids who got lost and were never found. They only come out at night, after all the shoppers are gone.
When Julie Devereaux visits the mall after the mysterious disappearance of her aunt, she becomes a pawn in the war between two gangs of night children: the Castertown Crazies, led by the stalwart Tick Stiles, and the Dingos, whose leader is the batty Burt Arno.
What the night children don't realize is that the megalomaniacal owner of the MegaMall, billionaire Amos Zozz, knows all about them. To him, they are vermin- "rats" living in his beautiful mall-that he plans to exterminate. And Julie, Tick, Burt and the rest of the night children must join forces if they want to survive.

This book was exceptional (every time I do a new review I have to come up with a new word to describe the book). I really liked how Kit Reed went through all the different perspectives of the situation, from Amos Zozz (the evil dude) to Julie Devereaux (the main character). Most authors cannot switch from perspective, to perspective without getting something mixed up, (minus Kit Reed i'm happy to say). Also, I love all the names! They are so weird and interesting at the same time, sometimes when I am bored in class or something I start thinking about what interesting names I give my kids when i'm older. The Night Children opened up a whole new selection for me.

If you would like to order this book go to The Night Children.com

                                                                  -Olivia

The Night Tourist

The Night Tourist
Katherine Marsh
***** 5 Stars

Ninth grader Jack Perdu spends most of his time alone, with his nose buried in a book. But one winter evening, a near-fatal accident changes Jack's life forever.
His father sends him to see a mysterious doctor in New York City-Where Jack hasn't been since his mother died there eight years ago. In Grand Central Terminal, he meets Euri, a girl who offers to show him the train station's hidden places-the ones only true urban explorers really know about. Eight flights below the station, however, Jack discovers more than just hidden tracks and mysterious staircases. He has stumbled upon New York's ghostly underworld. This, Jack believes, is his chance to see his mother again. But as secrets about Euri's past are revealed. So are the true reasons for Jack's visit to the underworld.

This book is excellent. I really like how Katherine Marsh tied in some of the Greek myths from ancient times. Each character was unique and different, and I enjoyed every page. Doing these kind of discovery books is difficult. When authors write these kinds of books, they need to make sure that the descriptions for the characters discovery aren't too short, or too long. They need to make sure as well that the characters reaction isn't too cheesy. It is a very difficult topic to get published and I respect that, it is one of the reasons I enjoy this genre so much.

If you would like to order this book go to The Night Tourist.com

                                                               -Olivia

The Music Of Dolphins

The Music Of Dolphins
By: Karen Hesse
***** 5 Stars

Mila was born in Cuba, but one day when she was four years old her mother escaped on a plane, taking Mila with her. But as the plane was flying over the ocean, it crashed and everyone on board drowned except for Mila, she was saved by dolphins.

For ten years, Mila lived in the ocean with her dolphin family. She has scars on her body, 5 feet long hair, and she can speak their language. She loves her dolphin life in the cold salty ocean and she never wants to leave, it is the only life she has ever known. It is the only life she ever wants.
But one day, Mila is discovered and "rescued", she is taken from the ocean and put in America, where she is taught how to be human all over again. She learns about language and music. How to use her hands, how to run and laugh and play. But she learns things she does not like, about rules and expectations, about locked doors and broken promises, disappointment, betrayal and hate.
The more Mila finds out what it means to be human, the more deeply she longs to go back.

Please, please read this book if you haven't already! Karen Hesse is a genius, this book couldn't have been done better even if J.K. Rowling, or Stephanie Meyer re-wrote it.
The Music Of Dolphins was amazing, I have read it 6 times! You see, for me, re-reading a book is still awesome. Most people don't read books over again because they think "Oh, i've already read this book, why should I read it again?  whats the point?  I already know the ending". That Is true, but that is, (personally in my opinion) a lame excuse.
When you read a book over again, you read slower, your not in a rush to know the ending so you read more carefully, and you catch words and details you might have missed the first time. What usually happens for me is if there is a line in the book, or a joke I don't get, when I re-read the book I understand perfectly. So try reading some of your favorite books over again, Its actually very relaxing and you get more out of the book then you did the last time.

Anyway, back to The Music Of Dolphins. I really like how Karen Hesse makes the text really large in the beginning, and it gets smaller, and smaller as the weeks go by because she is maturing and becoming more knowledgeable and less naive. I also really like this book because her original name is Olivia, like me! (little reader-character connection). Even If your an adult I recommend this book for all ages.

To order this book, go to The Music Of Dolphins

                                                                         -Olivia

Kiki Strike Inside The Shadow City

Kiki Strike  Inside The Shadow City
By: Kirsten Miller
***** 5 Star

Life will never be the same for Ananka Fishbein after she ventures into an enormous sink hole near her New York City apartment. Ananka knows she has stumbled upon a big secret,  but she has no idea exactly how big. Not only does she discover the Shadow City beneath Manhattan's bustling streets, she meets the mysterious Kiki Strike, a black-clad, vespa-riding, cafe-au-lait-drinking girl who seems to appear and vanish like magic. Join these girls in a battle against man-eating rats, team up with delinquent Girl Scouts, and explore a underground labyrinth  in this novel about a darker side of New York City you have just begun to know about.

You are going to start seriously thinking I am a softie and don't give any books low ratings. But there are reasons. I am reviewing books from my favorite section like I told you in my profile. But once in awhile I'll review a not-so-good book.
Anyway, this novel was exceptional! I'll actually admit, that for awhile after I read the book, I was dressing all in black, but then my friends started to think I was beginning to dress on the darker side, so I stopped. Kiki Strike was my idol, I actually was hoping to ride a Vespa, (haven't gotten to it yet). Besides her hobbies and fashion sense, I also loved her confidence, how she just had that "No fear" attitude 24-7. This book is unique and it made even me wish there was a giant sink hole near my house too.
This book also got me started on other books with that discover-a-secret-city topic, like The Night Tourist, (see review on my blog). So read this book, and if you can, try an Au Lait and tell me how it tastes.
If you would like to order this book, go to Kiki Strike.com


                                                                         -Olivia